Shoe-lace fastener.



No. 797,563. PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905. 0. DELANO.

$1103 LACE FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11. 1904 wrm sszs; IN VENTOH Umfmjeiana ATTORNEYS mnazw a 6.5mm co. vnaro-unmmwsm. WISNINGYQN, n c

CARLOS DFJLANO. OF VALPARAISO, CHILE.

SHOE-"LACE FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Aug. 22, 1905.

Application filed June 11, 1904. Serial 1%. 212,099.

To (l/ZZ whmn it m/rr/y concern.-

Be it known that I, (JAnLos DnLANo, a citizen of the Republic of Chile, and a resident of Valparaiso, Chile, have invented a new and Improved Shoe-Lace Fastener, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to boots and shoes; and its object is to provide a new and improved shoe-lace fastener arranged. to securely hold the ends of the lace or tie-string in position without requiring the tying of knots.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings,

forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe provided with two fasteners for separately holding the ends of a shoe-lace or tie-string. Fig. 2 is a face view of the blank for forming the fastener. Fig. 8 is a front view of the fastener. Fig. 4c is an edge view of the same. Fig. 5 is an enlarged inverted sectional plan view of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a double fastener as applied and arranged for holding both ends of the shoe-lace or tie-string, and Fig. 7 is a face view of the blank for forming the double fastener shown in Fig. 6.

The fastener illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 is made from a single piece of spring metal and consists of a body-plate A, fastened ,at its lower end by an eyelet B or similar fasstood by reference to Fig. 1, so that the shoe fastener is securely held in position on the shoe by the said hooks or arms D and the eyelet B. The arms D are spaced apart, and a spring-tongue E extends from between the arms at the upper end of the body-plate A,

and'this spring-tongue is bent downward onto the front face of the body-plate A to receive and clamp the shoe-lace or tie-string F in position between the said spring-tongue and the body-plate A, as plainly indicated in Fig. 1. The free end of the spring-tongue E is curved outwardly, so as to allow of readily sliding the shoe-lace or tie-string F between the spring-tongue and the body-plate A whenever it is desired to hold the said shoe-lace or tie-string F in position after the shoe-lace or tie-string is laced on the buttons of the shoe, as indicated in Fig. 1. The upper end of the spring-tongue F. is curved forwardly and downwardly in such a manner as to form with the body-plate A a loop E, through which may be passed the tip of the shoe-lace or tie-string F after the same is clamped be tween the spring-tongue E and the body-plate, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1, so that the tip of the shoe-lace or tiestring does not dangle down on the side of the shoe, but is neatly held in position by the fastener.

From the sides of the body-plate A are struck up lugs Gr, preferably made L-shaped and extending with their vertical portions into notches Fi formed on the sides of the spring-tongue E, directly above the clamping portion, the angular members of the lugs serving to limit the outward-swinging motion of the clamping or spring tongue E. The lugs G also serve as stops for limiting the upward-sliding motion of the shoe-lace or tiestring F when drawing the same under the spring-tongue E for the latter to clamp the lace or string in place on the front face of the bod y-plate A.

In the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7 a single fastener is provided on one side of the shoe C for holding both ends F of the shoelace or tie string in position on the fastener. In this case the body-plate A is fastened by an eyelet B or similar fastening device to the side of the shoe C, and from the upper end of the body-plate A extend the arms D, engaging the top and inner face of the shoe, the same as previously explained in reference to the arms D. (Shown in Fig. 1.) From the upper end of the body-plate A extend two spring-tongues E and E, arranged one alongside the other and of different lengths, one serving for clamping the end F of the shoelace or tie-string onto the front face of the body'plate A, and the other spring-tongue E serving to clamp the other end F of the shoe-lace or tie-string in position on the said front face of the body-plate A.

In order to prevent the ends F and F from becoming mixed up, I prefer to make the spring-tongues E and E of different lengths, so that the clamping of the said ends takes place at different points in the height of the body-plate A, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 6, it being understood,

however, that the end F after having passed under the spring-tongue E, extends over the other spring-tongue E a distance above the latters clamping portion.

On the body-plate A are arranged stoplugs G and G for engaging the springtongues E and E* to limit the outward-swinging motion of the said spring-tongues to form stops for the ends F and F the same as above described in reference to the lugs G. The spring-tongues E, E and E* are preferably concaved in cross-section along the clamping portions, as will be readily understood by reference to the drawings. By this arrangement a very firm secure clamping of the shoe-lace is obtained.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the ends of the shoe-lace or tie-string are held yieldingly in place under the spring-tongues, but with 'sufficient force to prevent accidental untying or unlacing of the shoestrings on the hooks or buttons of the shoe. It will also be seen that by the arrangement described the wearer after having tied the shoe can readily draw the ends of the shoe-lace or tie-string under the spring-tongues without resorting to the tying of knots or the like, as heretofore practiced.

construction and can be readily applied and securely held to the shoe, and the fastener can be cheaply manufactured.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A fastener, comprising a plate for attachment to the outside of a shoe, a clampingtongue projecting from one end of the plate over the same for clamping a shoe-lace upon the said plate, and means loosely connecting the tongue with the plate intermediate of the free end of the tongue and its connection with the plate to limit the outward movement of the said clamping-tongue, said means also serving as a stop for limiting the movement of the lace between the plate and the said clamping-tongue.

2. A shoe-lace fastener, comprising a bodyplate having at one end an opening and provided at its other end with attaching hooks or arms for extending over one edge of a shoe to engage the inside thereof, said hooks or arms being spaced apart and projecting rearwardly, the said bodyplate being also provided with a spring-tongue projecting forwardly from the same end of the plate as the hooks or arms, between the said hooks or arms, and bent down upon the front face of the plate for clamping a lace upon said plate.

3. A fastener made of a single piece of spring metal and comprisinga plate having a pair of hooks or arms for extending over the top edge of a shoe to engage the inside thereof to secure the plate to the shoe, said hooks or arms being spaced apart and projecting rearwardl y from one end of the plate, a springtongue projecting forwardly from the same end of the plate as the hooks or arms, between the said hooks or arms, and bent back onto the plate to form a clamp for clamping a shoelace against the plate, and means for limiting the outward movement of the tongue.

4. A fastener made of a single piece of spring metal formed with a body-plate for attachment to the outside of a shoe, a springtongue bent back onto the body-plate to form a clamp for engaging the shoe-lace and clamping it against the body plate, the springtongue also forming a loop with the bodyplate for receiving the tip of the shoe-lace, and lugs extending from the body-plate and loosely engaging the spring-tongue between its free end and its connection with the bodyplate to limit the outward movement of the tongue, said lugs also serving as a stop for limiting the movement of the lace between the plate and tongue.

5. A fastener made of a single piece of spring metal formed with a body-plate for attachment to the outside of a shoe, a springtongue bent back onto the body-plate, to form a clamp for engaging the shoe-lace and clamping it against the body plate, the springtongue also forming a loop with the bodyplate for receiving the tip of the shoe-lace, and L-shaped lugs extending fronrthe bodyplate and engaging notches on the springtongue.

6. A fastener having a body-plate for the attachment to the outside of a shoe, a clamping-tongue secured to one end of the plate and projecting over the same for clamping the lace against the said plate, and lugs projecting from the body and engaging the free portion of the tongue to limit the outward movement thereof. 7

7. A fastener having a body-plate for attachment to the outside of a shoe, a clampingtongue integral with one end of the plate, and to this specification in the presence of tWo subprojecting over the same for clamping the lace scribing witnesses. against the said plate, said tongue having 1 :1 notches in its opposing sides, and L-shaped CAIMLOS DLLANO' lugs projecting from the body and engaging Witnesses: the notches of the tongue. AUGUST MoLLER, J12,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name CARLOS MALMsTEN. 

